


Let me in

by LightOfTheLucii



Category: Voltron Legendary Defender
Genre: Crush, Gen, Keith crushes on Shiro, M/M, minor background Shro/Adam, pre-kerberos
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-03
Updated: 2019-01-03
Packaged: 2019-10-03 15:59:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 566
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17287109
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LightOfTheLucii/pseuds/LightOfTheLucii
Summary: Slow but sure, things are changing.





	Let me in

It’s hard to describe, really. How it feels when he’s with Shiro. Keith isn’t good with people, never was. It’s easier to push and push and shove people away rather than risking them realising what he is. A failure. A god damn trouble maker. Not worth the time or effort. His parents abandoned him, so why would anyone else stick around?

Shiro, however. Shiro is...different.

Shiro is cool. Shiro knows so much, he never treats Keith like an idiot on the rare occasions Keith asks questions. Shiro is smart and treats Keith like an equal, as if their age and rank differences are no barriers at all. Shiro is the golden boy, the walking, talking ad for all the Garrison can bring to the world. Keith is an unruly troublemaker, his piloting skills his only saving grace. As different as the sun and moon. Not that Keith can argue, in all honesty. Shiro always makes the time for him, always willing to listen or talk or just take him away to burn some energy racing.

It’s just another day, both of them grinning like fools, another day’s dust settling after a hard won race. Shiro beams at him, as proud as if he had won the race himself. And Keith would do anything and everything to make Shiro smile like that again, isn’t that what good friends do? That warm, almost ticklish feeling burning pleasantly low in his stomach. That’s a friend thing, right?

Keith wouldn't know. Shiro is his only friend.

Then Shiro hugs him in congratulations.

A surprise, but not unwelcome. Keith stiffens, not expecting it. But Shiro’s arms around him are warm and gentle, protective. A promise of security and help. Shiro has touched him before, a hand on his shoulder, a teasing nudge to his ribs. Nothing like this. Keith sighs, inhaling Shiro’s scent. Comforting. But of course Shiro smells nice, and a vague thought drifts through him that he could get used to it. A sharp thought suddenly intrudes that Adam can have this whenever he wanted.

Lucky, lucky Adam. Getting to hug and touch and smell Shiro whenever he wanted.

And...shit.

*That* thought is most definitely not a friend thing. Keith breaks the hug awkwardly, and changes the conversation abruptly. And Shiro, bless this man, patient, kind, cool, Shiro, lets him.

Time passes. 

Keith finds any excuse to hang out with Shiro, sensing Shiro needs their downtime together as much as he does. He’s fighting more with Adam, he gets a tight, pained look on his face the rare times that Keith brings it up. The Kerberos mission looms larger and larger, a juggernaut slinking towards them.

Shiro has less time for him, but Keith still helps in any way he can. Anything to see that tight expression loosen, anything to help. The touches, however, grow more frequent. A hand lingers on his shoulder, Keith learns to return them, still shy about initiating them. But for Shiro, just for Shiro, he can try. Shiro believes in him, so only fair Keith can return the favour right?

The day of Shiro’s departure dawns far too fast. Keith manages to surprise Shiro by tugging him into a hug first, face in Shiro’s broad chest, inhaling that sweet reassuring smell once more, as if for the last time.

Shiro will come back, he has to. 

 

Then pilot error destroys his universe.


End file.
